Alarm bells not ringtones sounded out for Angela Palmer when she got a new mobile phone for her son Jamie.

It stopped working after just 28 days.

But when Angela took it back to the Phones 4u shop in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, she was told the guarantee period had expired.

She was one day late bringing it back, so Angela, of Wolsingham Drive, Acklam, was initially refused an exchange. It left her feeling angry and that the whole deal was unfair.

She wrote to Phones 4u, but the reply she got at that time was unhelpful.

Wayne Gratty, from the customer relations department, said he sympathised and knew Angela was disappointed. But because the guarantee period had expired, he could not help.

"If a fault is brought to our attention within the guarantee period, the phone can be returned to any of our 335 stores for a replacement," he said.

Which seems a bit harsh - after all, a phone should last for more than a month.

Angela chose the Samsung E800 for 14-year-old Jamie because she has one herself and was happy with it.

It came free, but she signed for a £30 a month rental fee. And she was paying despite Jamie not being able to use the mobile.

At one point, Phones 4u said the manufacturer's warranty could be invoked and they would arrange for the phone to be repaired.

Watchdog says this ignores obligations under the sale of goods legislation. Put simply, the phone was not suitable for the use it was sold for.

We felt Angela should press ahead with her complaint.

Finally Watchdog and Angela had success. Jamie is now the proud owner of a new phone.

"I am delighted," says Angela.

Ben Todd, company spokesman for Phones 4u, said: "We're extremely sorry that Mrs Palmer feels she has received poor service from our store and can appreciate how disappointing that must have been.

"Having investigated Mrs Palmer's case, it appears she was misinformed about the statutory period for exchanging a faulty handset. This has since been clarified and the matter resolved to Mrs Palmer's satisfaction.

"The exchange policy at Phones 4u is the same for most major electrical retailers.

"Customers have 14 days from the date of purchase to cancel their contract with the network and get a full refund and there is a window of 28 days from purchase in which they can return a handset if it is faulty and exchange it.

"If the handset is returned with a fault after 28 days, it is sent away for repair.

"We always seek to provide a resolution to customer issues and are pleased that Mrs Palmer is now satisfied with the outcome of this particular matter and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

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